Cassi Tichy Memorial

(Photo:  "Holding On" A mother's wish for one moment longer!)

(Photo:  Hawaii 2018...Cassi with her siblings, Devon and Alena, and mother, ellen)


Cassiopeia (Cassi) Grace Tichy
31/December/99 - 20/May/18


In September 2015, Hemet High School student, Cassi Tichy, was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare cancer that most often occurs in and around the bones and soft tissue.   For Cassi, it was first discovered imbedded in her left hip bone, her lungs, and a golf-sized tumor on her left shoulder.  During her final year, the cancer cells traveled through her blood, and tragically consumed every part of her body, except the heart and kidneys.  

On Sunday, 20/May/18, surrounded by her loving family, precious Cassi took her last breath in the early hours of the morning, and slipped away from this world.   
The grief is heavy for all who knew and loved her; however, there is comfort knowing that she is no longer suffering from the pain and complications of that devastating disease.

Cassi courageously fought this disease and was home schooled during her entire 11th grade year. 
She was able to return for her Senior year at HHS, while continuing chemo treatments at home.  She was excited to be back with her friends, and truly gave it her all.
Her Senior year was full of new and exciting activities.  She participated in theater productions, Chamber Singers, as the team manager for Girls' Varsity Tennis, and felt honored to receive numerous awards and scholarships, including Student of the Month (November 2016) and Student of the Year (May 2017) before she graduated.

Cassi was a very talented artist who created the most amazing art pieces, starting at the young age of two.  
Art was her gift, her passion!
She had plans to attend college and earn a degree in Illustration.
Her family and friends often marveled at Cassi’s wonderful creativity.  Many of these drawings can be viewed on Instagram (@celestialcitrus) where she gathered nearly 3,000 followers.

Her hobbies included drawing, hanging out with friends, movies, Art conventions (Wonder Con, Anime Expo, and Comic Con), Video Games (Overwatch), travel, tennis, and the 5 family cats (CaliTonks, her calico, remained a favorite).
Although she was shy and preferred to stay out of the limelight, there was also another side to her that showed an awesome and dry sense of humor. 
She loved to laugh and bring happiness to others.

Not long after graduating from high school, the cancer returned with a vengeance. 
Still, Cassi fought hard for the months following, but unfortunately, no treatments (traditional or holistic) worked, and the cancer cells spread steadily through the blood, invading every part of her body. 
She passed away at her father's home in Valle Vista (East Hemet, CA) from complications in her lungs and other organs.

During Cassi's entire cancer journey, she constantly thought of others by giving back through her artwork, volunteering to bring awareness of the importance of giving blood by often being the "face" to many blood drives, both with LifeStream and San Diego Blood Bank, and most recently, raising funds to gift much-needed massage chairs to the cancer patients, families, and staff at Rady Children's Hospital where she had been treated.

Cassi did not dwell on her own misfortune, but tried to uplift others as they struggled through their own trials. 
She was gracious, friendly, shy, generous, kind, courageous, inspiring, and truly was a shining light, not only for her family, but also for her community. 
Named after the constellation, Cassiopeia, she can now be seen in the early morning Northern sky, and undoubtedly, it's where she will always smile down at us -- FREE, at last, from pain and suffering!

The financial impact of dealing with a terminal disease for the past three years has taken a toll on Cassi's family. 
This GoFundMe page has been started by the community to assist the family with final arrangements, and any other expenses to help them through this difficult and dark time of grief.

The Cassi Tichy Memorial account was set up with the compassionate assistance of the Hemet Altura Credit Union, and donations can be made either through this GoFundMe site, or directly at an Altura branch.

Although this precious shining star is no longer with us physically, we can be assured that she is twinkling down from above and will continue to be our "Shine Bright" Cassi.

Thank you for your donation to HONOR Cassi's courage, as well as, the memory of this incredible, but brief life...she is someone we love deeply!

Cassi, you will be missed, but always remain in our hearts...forever!


(Lovingly submitted by family friend, Malea Ortloff, member of Team#shinebrightcassi, and ellen, Cassi's mom)